New Captain

[knowledgeordeath]

Who: Kolivan and YOU
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Goldstone
When: After things have settled after Calibrations

Broadcast

[The frowning face of Kolivan appears on the screen. He looks generally unhappy but anyone who knows him is aware that this is literally just his default expression. There's nothing unusual to see here.]

It would appear that the captain of the Goldstone has departed this fleet. I am Kolivan, its new captain. Should you have questions then you can bring them to me.

[A pause and then...]

Members of my crew. I want reports for your stations by the end of the day. There is no First Mate on this ship so I will take them.

[And that's the end. He just ends the transmission there.]


Goldstone

[Kolivan can be found taking note of what the ship has and what it requires in terms of supplies. It's really impossible to miss him honestly. Being the towering figure he is and the way he needs to bend down to move through halls and doors... Well, it's basically not going to be hard to find him or run into him.

Just please don't do so literally. He's very solid and it will hurt.

But this is your new captain. Feel free to say hello.]

Comments

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

That's more a private matter. [He is not having a conversation about sex with Kolivan. He doesn't want to picture that any further than he already has.]

I suppose I just meant are you enjoying the getting to know each other part.

[knowledgeordeath]

You have an odd fascination with whether or not I enjoy myself with matters.

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

People deserve to be happy? And also figuring out what people enjoy and do in their spare time is a way to get to know them better.

[Tim shrugs]

I can back off a little if it makes you uncomfortable. I just like to know things.

[knowledgeordeath]

I am not uncomfortable.

[Just very baffled.]

You and Cyril will get along well it seems. He shares this odd interest.

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

I look forward to meeting them when they move onto the ship then. We can compare notes on the things we've learnt about you since we've met.

Maybe when we find another planet you guys can even go on a date or something.

[knowledgeordeath]

[You lost him.]

What is a date?

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

Oh um, it's what humans call one of our... courting rituals?
What do Galra do when they want to get to know each other in a romantic sense?

How would you express yourself to someone you wish to marry? or um.. mate? I don't know what word to use here.

[knowledgeordeath]

It has changed a great deal over the years. There is more a focus on reproduction than there is affection in the Galra society. Ideas of courtship among the Galra simply don't exist now.

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

That's... sad. I'm sorry.

But you said it's changed so do you know what it changed from?

[knowledgeordeath]

There have been many decaphobes since that time. In those days I was not using the ones of the Galra anyway.

[Not for the one he was courting...]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

We've gotten distracted though.. um dates are just a human courting ritual in which you organise to spend time together doing things you enjoy and getting to know each other.

Usually, it involves conversation over food, watching movies or even just walking somewhere pleasant but really it can be anything. I think the majority of my dates have taken place during patrols so our share activity was beating up criminals? once it was a lamase class so ... I may not have the best examples...

So you could have a date on the Iskaulit? but a new planet would be more fun?

[knowledgeordeath]

Are these dates a matter of privacy or public acknowledgments of courting?

[He's confused.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

A combination? or really it depends on the couple? Some prefer things to be private, not perhaps not secret but saying that you are dating someone would be a public acknowledgement of courting but it's not a mandatory thing.

Dating tends to be very... um... customisable? There are traditional things people do but they could just be taken as guidelines for those who don't know where to start?

[knowledgeordeath]

If this is a courtship ritual then why does it appear that there are no set rules for it?

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

There use to be more strict rules about it actually but as time went on, well people got more loose about it and it's fewer rules and more guidelines now.

I mean you use to have to have a chaperone to make sure you didn't get into any hanky panky. It used to be a rule that it was only a man and a woman, that the man would always pay for everything. That there was no kissing before the third date.

Now, well if there are any hard rules, they're determined by the parties involved not society?

[knowledgeordeath]

..........

[He...has a question.]

Hanky...panky?

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim looks awkwardly around for a sudden escape or distraction. How did they get here? It's probably his fault.]

I... it's an old fashion word? for any kind of... intimate behaviour between two people?

[knowledgeordeath]

Why did you not simply say sex?

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

I... cause it's not just sex? [He is not explaining all the different ways you can be intimate with someone that would fall under the term 'hanky panky'] depending on the chaperone it could even mean holding hands?

As I said, it's an old fashion term for old fashion rules.

[knowledgeordeath]

The terms involving these dates are unclear. I will do what I can to avoid them.

[Yeah. He's not liking how confusing this description of a date is.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

Ah yeah. That's probably fair. I likely explained it badly and I also don't know what Cyril's world's courting rituals are like as well.

Just do what you would normally do? if you were interested in someone?

[knowledgeordeath]

I have not had an interest in someone in a very long time. It isn't something I've had to consider during my time with the Blades.

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim can't help but think back to that memory in Calibration. Of what is probably the last time Kolivan allowed himself to take an interest in someone. He doesn't know whether he should bring that up, if Kolivan even remembers it himself.]

I.. um... know? I was in your mind one night during the time on Marsiva.

[knowledgeordeath]

Yes. I remember what you saw.

[He pauses, stopping where he is to stand there.]

That was long ago.

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

I wasn't sure. I'm sorry.

[Tim stops only seconds before he would have walked into Kolivan and takes a couple of steps back so he can look up at him]

Perhaps it was, but their death still motivates you with the Blades. Sometimes time means nothing when it comes to emotion.